Fastener forming and applying machine



Aug. 18, 1970 ODEAN ETAL FASTENER FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15, 1968 59 INVENTORS DAVID J. ODEAN ROY E. WELLS A T T wufaul g- 9 o. J. ODEAN EI'AL 3,524,242-

FASTENER FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Filed April 15, 1968 w W n 0 .l 2

w a My iiiiiiil W L lllllllllfl l l n" m 5 & I 1 2 11 w i I 1... rm m m 3 av z g- 13, 1970 D. J. ODEAN ETAL FASTENER FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE 5 Sheets-$11061. 3

Filed April 15, 1968 INVENTORS DAVID J. ODEAN ROY E. WELLS WMJW www ATT'YS.

Aug. 18, 1970 D. J. ODEAN ETA!- 3,524,242

FASTENER FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed April 15, 1968 INVENTORS DAVID J. ODEAN I R Y E. WELLS I ATT'YS Aug. 18, 1970 D N mL 3,524,242

FASTENER FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE Filed April 15, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q/NVENTORS DAVID J. ODEAN ROY. E. WELLS ZDL- TW 2M United States Patent Office 3,524,242 Patented Aug. 18, 1970 3,524,242 FASTENER FORMING AND APPLYING MACHINE David J. Odean, Davenport, and Roy E. Wells, Maquoketa, Iowa, assignors to The Kartridg Pak Co., Davenport, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 651,575, July 6, 1967. This application Apr. 15, 1968, Ser. No. 721,363

Int. Cl. 1323p 11/00, 19/04 US. Cl. 29-24357 24 Claims ABSTRACT OF TIE DISCLOSURE A hand-operated, air-powered machine for forming from lengths of wire successive U-shaped fastener clips and for simultaneously applying a previously formed clip to the constricted mouth of a bag or a constricted tube section of flexible sheet material and clinching the same so as to provide a tight closure.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 651,575, filed July 6, 1967, now abandoned.

This invention relates to the closing and sealing of containers or the like and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a machine for applying a bendable clip to the end of a flexible or deformable casing or bag enclosing a product such as foodstuff.

It has been the practice in the packaging of certain products, for example, large size sausage products, to stuff a cylindrical casing, which is closed initially at one end, with the desired quantity of the product and to close the other end of the casing, after it is gathered, by applying a permanent fastener in the form of a bendable clip of metal or similar material. Some machines, both manually operated and semi-automatic, have heretofore been provided for applying the fastener clip. Generally, these machines include a magazine in which a quantity of preformed clips are stored and a reciprocating punch with a co-operating anvil for clinching about the gathered neck of the bag or other container individual clips fed from the magazine.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for applying permanent fasteners or clips to a gathered bag neck or the like which is of relatively simple construction, which is adapted for semi-automatic operation, which will operate more efliciently for applying a fastener so as to give a strong and tight bind on the gathered bag material and which has other advantages over machines of this character heretofore provided.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a relatively simple apparatus for forming from wire or similar bendable fastener forming material successive U- shaped clips and for applying the successive clips to a gathered bag end, casing, or the like, by wrapping the legs of the same about the gathered material so as to form a tight permanent closure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ap paratus for preforming and applying a generally U-shaped clip of metal or similar material to gathered casing sections or other objects with successive clips being formed from bendable wire or other suitable material fed from a reel or the like and with a previously formed clip being applied to and clinched about an object while the next succeeding clip is being formed into U shape.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for forming and applying successive fastener elements of bendable wire or the like to gathered casing sections or similar objects wherein the wire is fed into the path of a reciprocating clip former above a preform block on which successive -U-shaped fasteners or clips are formed by the clip former from lengths of the wire cut off by the clip former and from which the preformed fasteners are moved by a reciprocating pusher into the path of a fastener applying and clinching punch.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus for applying successive fastener elements of bendable wire or the like to gathered casing sections or similar objects which apparatus includes an anvil and a co-operating reciprocably mounted punch for applying and clinching the fasteners, a pair of vertically slidable stripper plates disposed so as to straddle the anvil and support the casing section while the fastener is applied and improved operating means for enabling the plates to lower the casing section on the anvil when the punch is lowered for the clinching operation and thereafter to lift the casing from the anvil so as to free the same for removal from the apparatus.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the fastener forming and applying machine which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a fastener or clip forming and applying machine which incorporates therein the principal features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a partial vertical section taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1, to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevation showing the bottom portion of the machine with the gate in the open position, the view being taken on the side of the machine which is opposite that shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5, to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the clip forming and applying mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a cross section taken on the line 8--8 of FIG. 2, to an enlarged scale and with portions broken away;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of the power and control mechanism for the machine;

FIG. 10 is a partial side elevation showing a modified form of the machine;

FIG. 11 is a partial front elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 1212 of FIG. 10, to a larger scale;

FIG. 13 is a partial side elevation showing another modified form of the machine;

FIG. 14 is a partial front elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 1515 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 1616 of FIG. 13, to a larger scale;

FIG. 17 is a partial side elevation showing still another modified form of the machine; and

FIG. 18 is a view taken on the line 1818 of FIG. 17.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the machine comprises a generally upwardly extending standard or supporting frame 10 having a base 11 adapted to be supported on a bench, table or the like. The standard 10 supports a reciprocably mounted punch 12 and a co-operating bottom anvil mechanism 13 for applying the clips or fasteners. A wire infeed is indicated at 14 which delivers successive lengths or sections of fastener forming wire W to a preforming anvil 15 on which successive U shaped clips or fastener elements are formed by a clip former 16 carried on the punch 12 while a previously formed fastener is applied to and clinched about a gathered bag mouth or other object by the punch 12.

The punch 12 extends downwardly from the end of a ram forming piston 17 which is powered by the main air cylinder 17' mounted at the top of the standard and controlled by a valve forming manifold 18 mounted at the bottom end of the cylinder 17' and connected to an appropriate compressed air supply. The punch 12 is guided for reciprocation in a generally vertical path in a guideway 20 formed in a die block 21 secured on the standard 10. The punch 12 has a fastener applying and clinching bottom end 22 and the clip former 16, which is bolted or otherwise attached to the punch, has a downwardly facing end 25 constituting a wire cut-oft and clip preforming die spaced a predetermined distance above the bottom end 22 of the punch 12. The ram forming lower end section 26 of the punch 12 has a downwardly facing groove in the clip engaging end 22 which engages with the bight forming portion of a U-shaped, preformed fastener clip, indicated at F in FIGS. 1, 3 and 7, to drive the same down through a guideway 27 which is formed in part by a guide member 28 supported on the lower end of the standard 10 immediately above an anvil insert 29 which is seated in a holder 30 forming part of the anvil assembly 13. The guideway 27 is formed in part on the inside face of a gate 31 which is pivoted at 32 for swinging movement between a closed position, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, and an open position as indicated in FIG. 5. The gate 31 is provided with a handle 32. A tension spring 33 has its lower end connected to the lower end of a valve trip rod 35 which is pivoted at 35 to the gate 31, the upper end of spring 33 being anchored at 36 to the die block 21 so as to urge the gate 31, when it is released, into the open position.

The anvil insert 29 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5) is provided with a relatively shallow recess or groove 37 which opens upwardly and is aligned with the guideway 27 to receive therein the ends of the legs of the preformed fasteners F. A pair of laterally spaced stripper plates 38 and 38' are connected at their front and back edges and slidably mounted on the guide member 28 so that they straddle the anvil holder member 30 and guideway 27 with the top edges thereof normally held a predetermined distance above the top of the anvil insert 29 by compression springs 39 and 39 which are seated in recesses at the front and rear end of the anvil member 30 and bear up against the sides at the front and rear ends of the stripper plates 38, 38'. The stripper plates 38, 38 initially support the object to which the fastener is to be applied at a suflicient distance above the clinching recess 37 in the anvil insert 29 to permit the legs of the fastener to be folded towards each other beneath the object as the punch end 22 descends and forces the same into engagement with the anvil insert 29. As the punch 12 retracts after clinching the fastener F the springs 39 and 39 raise the stripper plates 38 and 38 so as to lift the object and the fastener free of the anvil assembly 13 for removal from the machine. Outside plates 40 and 40' are connected through a bottom spacer 41 which is secured to the base 11 and partially cover the anvil assembly 13 and the stripper plates 38 and 38.

As each succeeding fastener F is applied and clinched about the casing or other object, the next succeeding fastener is formed on the preform block 15 (FIGS. 1 and 7). The fastener wire W, which may be round or fiat wire stock of suitable gauge or other bendable metal, a stilf plastic or combinations thereof, is fed in a generally horizontal path through a horn-like guide to a positive feed device or apparatus 51. The wire feed device 51 comprises wheels 52 and 53 having co-operating wire gripping surfaces between which the wire W is advanced. The bottom wheel 52 is supported on the shaft 54 and driven by a reverse acting rotary air cylinder 55 which is controlled by the valve manifold 18. The

4 uppermost wheel 53 is an idler mounted on the shaft 57 which is supported on the arm 58, the latter being pivoted at 60 on the standard 10 and urged in a clockwise direction by a compression spring 61. Both wheels 52 and 53 are provided with one-way clutches (not shown) which allow the wheels to feed in only, that is, in a direction to advance the wire, and will not permit backup so as to insure that a proper length of wire is fed each cycle of operation. As the wire W leaves the feed device 51 it advances through a tubular guide 62 with the leading end projecting across the path of the cut-off and fastener forming end 25 of the clip former 16. The clip former end 25 is recessed as indicated at 63 and extends laterally in the guideway 20 so that one edge 64 will co-operate with the end edge 65 of the guideway forming member 62 to cut off the length of wire required for preforming a fastener F about the preform block 15 which projects into the path of the clip former end 25 and which is of generally rectangular cross section so as to co-operate with the clip former recess 63 and cause each length of wire to be formed into U shape about the same. The front end of the preform block 15 is spaced a suflicient distance from the opposite wall of the punch guideway 20 to permit the ram forming portion 26 of the punch to pass the same and pick up a preformed fastener P which is forced off the end of the preform block 15 by a reciprocating pusher 66 (FIGS. 3 to 7). The pusher 66 is contained in a cavity 67 of the die block 21 and has parallel spaced leg portions 68, 68 which slide along the side faces of the preform block 15. The pusher 66 is urged toward the forward position by means of a compression spring 69. The pusher 66 is mechanically cammed out of the Way of the clip former 16 by cam lobes 70, 70 on the lower end of the clip former 16 which engage the inclined forward edge portions 71, 71 of the pusher legs. The pusher 66 is cammed for operation relative to the movement of the punch 12 so as to deliver a previously formed fastener element to the guideway 20 beneath the clinching end 22 of the punch 12, as shown in FIG. 3. A stripper plate 72 (FIG. 6) is mounted at the top of the recess 67 in the guide block 21 with an innermost end 73 extending in spaced relation above the top face of the preform block 15 so that the fastener F is formed beneath the same and the fastener is tripped from the clip former 16 as the latter retracts with upward movement of the punch 12.

The valve manifold 18 has inlet connections with a suitable compressed air supply and feed passageways and conduits connecting to the main cylinder 17 and the rotary air cylinder 55 for the wire feed 51. The air flow to the main cylinder 17' is controlled by valves 75, 75' (FIG. 8) incorporated in the manifold 18 which are operated by a trip lever 76 pivotally mounted at 77 on the lower face of the manifold block and has an arm '78 connected to the vertically disposed rod 35 so that vertical movement of the rod 35 opens and closes the air passageways to the main cylinder 17'. A valve 80 is incorporated in the passageways connected to the air cylinder 55 which is operated by a trip arm 81 carried on the piston 17 so that the cylinder 55 is controlled in accordance with the movement of the punch 12 and its associated members. An air pressure regulator, indicated at 82 in FIG. 1, is provided in the air line ahead of the control valve so that the air pressure may be varied and thus the pressure exerted by the punch 12 in closing the fastener thereby enabling the operator to control the tightness of the fastener.

In operating the machine, the gate 31 is normally in the up position shown in FIG. 5 and the punch 12 is at its uppermost position. Air is supplied to the valve manifold 18. The operator places the casing neck or other object across the stripper plates 38 and 38' and closes the gate 31. The valve trip rod 35 is pulled down by movement of the gate 31 and triggers the flow of air through the manifold 18. The flow of air to the main cylinder 17' starts the punch 12 downwardly. The trip arm 81 actuates the wire cylinder 55 which sets the wire feed mechanism 51 for the next feeding operation. The punch 12 picks up the preformed fastener F which has been delivered to the guideway by pusher 66 and drives it downwardly. The wire for the succeeding fastener is cut off and the fastener is formed on the preform block 15 while a previously formed fastener is clinched over the casing and the stripper plates 38, 38 are depressed by the clinching action. The operator opens the gate 31, the air is reversed in the main cylinder 17 to retract the ram 17 which returns to its up position. The wire feed mechanism 51 advances the wire for the next fastener element to be formed.

A modified form of the machine is shown in FIGS. 10 to 12 wherein major parts thereof are identical with those shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 and are identified by the same numerals. Only those elements which have been modified or added are described in detail, it being understood that the associated elements are constructed and operated in the same manner as the corresponding elements in the form of the machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9. In this form of the machine generally L-shaped stripper plates 138 and 138' straddle the anvil insert 29 and anvil holder member 30 and slide vertically on the guide member 28, with the plates being held in spaced parallel relation by a connecting web at the front and a spacing block 85 between back vertical portions of the same. The plates 138 and 138' slide in the space between the anvil assembly 13 and the outside cover plates 140 and 140 with the springs 39 and 39' urging the stripper plates 138 and 138' upwardly and normally holding the same with their upper edges above the clinching recess in the anvil insert 29 so as to initially support the object to which the fastener is to be applied at a suflicient distance above the clinching recess to permit the legs of the fastener to be folded toward each other beneath the object as the punch end 22 descends. To insure that the stripper plates 138 and 138' are in the proper position to support the object initially and are free to move downwardly during the fastener clinching operation, a vertically disposed push rod 90 is mounted for vertically reciprocating movement in a guide member 91 extending from the die block 21 and is pivotally connected at its lowermost end to the stripper plates 138 and 138 by pivot pin 92 which extends through both stripper plates 138 and 138 and the connecting spacer block 85. The uppermost end 93 of the push rod 90 is in the path of movement of the block 94 which connects the upper end of the punch 12 with its operating piston or ram and is disposed at an elevation which results in the push rod 90 being engaged by the block 94 and depressed near the end of the punch stroke for effecting the clinching of the fastener, with the stripper plates 138 and 138' being moved down with the same in a positive manner. When the punch 12 is retracted after the fastener is clinched the springs 39 and 39 lift the stripper plates 138 and 138 and also the push rod member 90 to the proper elevation for the next fastener applying operation and simultaneously free the clinched fastener from the anvil so that the package or other object to which the fastener has been applied may be readily removed from the machine. The machine is otherwise constructed and operated in the same manner as the machine of FIGS. 1 to 9.

Another modified form of the machine is shown in FIGS. 13 to 16. In this from of the machine the major parts are the same as in the previously described forms thereof and are identified by the same numerals. A different arrangement is provided for controlling the operation of stripper plates 238 and 238' which straddle the anvil assembly 13. The stripper plates 238 and 238' are mounted for vertical sliding movement, in the same manner as in the machines of FIGS. 1 to 9, with the bottom spring members 39 and 39 which are employed in the previously described forms of the machine being omitted. The stripper plates 238 and 238' are supported in their uppermost position, where the top edges are above the clinching recess in the anvil insert 29, by a vertically disposed rod which has its bottom end pivotally and slidably connected to the plates 238 and 238 by pivot pin 102. The pivot pin 102 extends through an elongate slot 103 in the plates 238 and 238 and the associated spacer member 285 so as to provide limited vertical movement of the pin 102 relative to the plate assembly. Intermediate its ends the rod 100 is confined in a laterally extending elongate slot 104 in a guide block 105 which extends from the die block 21 at one side thereof so that the rod 100 is free to slide vertically and to pivot or swing a short distance toward the right in FIG. 13, that is, toward the rear of the machine. A tension spring 106 is connected at one end to the rod 100 and at the other end to the block 105 so as to urge the rod 100 in a direction toward the front of the machine. A pin 107 extending from the rod 100 is adapted to rest on the top of a wear plate 108 which is secured on the top of the block 105 and is spaced axially from the pivot pin 102 so as to hold the stripper plates 238 and 238 in elevated position when the pin 107 rests on the wear plate 108. The rod 100 extends to the block 110 which connects the upper end of the punch 12 with its operating piston 17 and which has a cam surface 111 and a forked extension bracket 112 with a slot 113 opening toward the rear of the machine in which the rod 100 is adapted to seat. The rod 100 has a pair of nuts 114 on its threaded upper end beneath which the bracket 112 extends when the rod 100 is in its uppermost position as shown in FIG. 13. The cam surface 111 is adapted to engage a collar 115 on the rod 100, when the punch 12 descends to apply a fastener, and swing the rod 100 rearwardly about its pivot 102 so as to move the pin 107 out of engagement with the wear plate 108 and allow the stripper plates 238 and 238' to fall by gravity to a position which lowers the object being fastened into engagement with the anvil insert 29 for clinching of the fastener member. When the clinching is completed, the punch 12 is raised by operation of the piston 17 and the fork extension 112 on the block 110 lifts the rod 100 so as to position the pin 107 on the wear plate 108, the rod 100 being pulled forwardly by the spring 106. The stripper plates are then in condition for another cycle of operation. The machine is otherwise constructed and operated in the same manner as the machine of FIGS. 1 to 9.

A further modification of the machine is shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 which is applicable to the three forms of the machine heretofore described and parts of the machine not shown may be the same as in the other forms of the machine. In this form of the machine the wire for the fasteners is supplied from a reel R which is supported on a bracket arm inclined upwardly and outwardly from the rear of the machine with its end seated in a socket 121 in a bracket 122 secured on the base 11 of the machine. The reel R is provided with a suitable brake to provent excessive unrolling when the wire is fed. The wire W is fed to the fastener forming device through the horn guide 50 to a positive feed device 151 which comprises top and bottom feed wheels 152 and 153 having co-operating wire gripping surfaces between which the wire is advanced. The top wheel 152 is supported on a shaft 154 and driven by a reverse acting rotary air cylinder (not shown) the operation of which is controlled by the valve manifold 18 as in the machine of FIG. 1. The bottom feed wheel 153 is an idler of the same character and mounted on a spring loaded pivoted arm in the same manner as the topmost wheel 53 in FIG. 1. This arrangement of the feed wheels insures that any marking of the wire due to slippage of the drive wheel will not be on the inside of the fastener which is undesirable. Both wheels 152 and 153 are provided with oneway clutches (not shown) which allow infeed only and avoid back-up so as to insure that the proper length of wire is fed each cycle of operation. The large and rela- 7 tively heavy reel R with its brake to prevent overrunning results in tension in the wire during feeding which it is desirable to eliminate. In order to provide a slack portion of the wire for each feeding stroke a depressor bar 125 is mounted so as to extend across the path of the wire W. The depressor bar 125 is carried on the end of arm 126 which is pivoted at 127 on the vertical web 128 of the standard 10 and which has a cam arm l30 with a cam follower roller 131 positioned to engage the plate cam 132 which is mounted on the drive shaft 154 carrying the top feed wheel 152. The depressor bar 125 lies on the wire W which is normally tensioned due to inertia and the brake on the reel R and is moved down by the cam 132 as the wire feed cylinder is recocking itself for feeding another length of wire so as to create a slack portion for the next wire feeding stroke. This occurs at the same time the main ram punch is coming down. This arrangement is desirable to avoid slippage during the feeding stroke which may otherwise occur due to tension in the wire.

While particular materials and specific details of construction are referred to in describing the forms of the machine which illustrate the invention, it will be understood that other suitable materials and equivalent structural details may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for forming and applying to a gathered section of tubular casing closure fasteners derived from lengths of wire-like, bendable material which are first preformed into generally U shape and thereafter applied and clinched about the gathered casing section, said apparatus comprising an upstanding support frame, a punch having fastener forming and applying portions slidably mounted on said frame, a preform block mounted on said frame in the path of the fastener forming portion of said punch for co-operation therewith to preform successive fasteners, a clinching anvil mounted on said frame in the path of the fastener applying portion of said punch, means to feed successive lengths of fastener forming material across the path of said fastener forming portion of said punch, means to move successive preformed fasteners from said forming anvil into the path of the fastener applying portion of said punch, and means to reciprocate said punch so as to apply and clinch a preformed fastener and simultaneously to preform a fastener for subsequent application.

2. An apparatus for forming and applying fasteners to a gathered section of a flexible container material, which fasteners are derived from lengths of bendable wire, said apparatus comprising an upright frame having a vertical guideway therein and a punch mounted for reciprocation in said guideway, said punch having a fastener forming portion and a fastener applying portion, means mounted on said frame for feeding successive lengths of fastener forming wire into the path of the fastener forming portion of said punch, a preform block mounted on said frame in the path of the fastener forming portion of said punch for co-operation therewith to preform successive lengths of wire into generally U-shaped fasteners, means for transferring said preformed fasteners into the path of said fastener applying portion of said punch, a clinching anvil and associated means for holding a gathered section of container material in a position in the path of the fastener applying portion of said punch, and means for reciprocating said punch so as to apply a fastener to said gathered section of container material while preforming a fastener for subsequent application to another gathered section of container material.

3. In an apparatus for fastening a bendable clip about a casing end or similar article, an upright support frame, said frame having a generally vertically extending track which is adapted to receive therein a U-shaped clip provided with a pair of legs adapted to be bent around said .article, an anvil forming die at the lower end of said track, an elongated punch having a bottom clip driving face supported for movement longitudinally of said track from an upper position out of engagement with said clip to a lower position driving said clip into engagement with said anvil, said punch having a clip forming recess in a downwardly facing portion thereof, a clip forming die extending into the path of said downwardly facing recessed punch portion, means for feeding a length of clip forming material between said recess punch portion and said clip forming die, driving means for lowering said punch so as to form a U-shaped clip on said clip forming die and means for transferring successive clips laterally from said clip forming die to a position in the path of the clip driving face of said punch.

4. Apparatus for forming and applying fasteners as recited in claim 2, and said means for feeding the fastener forming wire comprising a driven feed wheel and a cooperating spring pressed idler wheel, said wheels having one-way clutch means and means for driving said feed wheel intermittently in timed relation to the operation of said punch reciprocating means so as to advance successive lengths of fastener forming wire into the path of the fastener forming portion of said punch.

5. Apparatus for forming and applying fasteners as recited in claim 4, and a guideway forming means for said fastener forming wire which terminates at the edge of the vertical guideway for said punch and said punch having a cutting edge for co-operation with the inner edge of said guideway forming means to cut off successive lengths of fastener forming wire as said punch is reciprocated.

6. Apparatus for forming and applying fasteners as recited in claim 2, wherein said punch guideway has an opening adjacent said clinching anvil and a swingably mounted gate for closing said opening and holding the gathered container material in fastener receiving position above the clinching anvil.

7. Apparatus for forming and applying fasteners as recited in claim 2, wherein said vertical guideway has a lower section with a side thereof defined by a pivotally mounted gate for opening and closing said guideway above said clinching anvil so as to receive the gathered container material, said gate constituting a part of the means for holding the container material in fastener receiving position.

8. Apparatus for forming and applying fasteners as recited in claim 2, wherein said means for holding the container material in the path of the punch comprises a pivotally mounted section of the punch guideway forming portion of said frame and spring means for urging said section toward a guideway opening position.

9. In an apparatus as recited in claim 3, and said means for transferring clips from said clip forming die comprising a pusher mounted for movement in a path along both sides of said clip forming die and means to reciprocate said pusher in timed relation to the movement of said punch.

10. Apparatus for forming and applying fasteners as recited in claim 2, and said frame having guide means for said fastener forming wire and said fastener forming portion of said punch having a cutting edge co-operating with a cutting edge on said guide means for severing the fastener forming wire into sections of the length required to form the fasteners.

11. Apparatus for forming and applying fasteners as recited in claim 2, and said means for holding the container material including a pair of depressible plates mounted on opposite sides of the clinching anvil for supporting the container material in spaced relation above the anvil face so as to provide a clearance for the legs of the fasteners to be wrapped around the container material during the clinching operation.

12. In an apparatus for applying generally U-shaped fastener clips to an object which encompases a punch, a clinching anvil, means forming a guideway for receiving successive clips and for guiding the punch so as to en gage the clips and clinch the same against the anvil, a pair of stripper plates slidably mounted for movement in a vertical path on opposite sides of the anvil with their top edges normally spaced above the face of the anvil so as to support an object to which a clip is to be applied in spaced relation above the anvil and provide clearance for passage of the legs of the clip beneath the object at the start of the clinching operation and resilient means heneath said stripper plates for holding said stripper plates in elevated position and permitting the same to be depressed by downward pressure of the object during the final downward movement of the punch to complete the clinching operation.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the means to feed the fastener forming material includes a rotary air cylinder, the means to reciprocate the punch comprising an air cylinder, and an air supply line having connections with said air cylinders through three-way valves which time the operation of the air cylinders.

14. Apparatus for forming and applying fasteners as recited in claim 2 wherein the means for reciprocating said punch includes an air cylinder, the means for feeding the wire also includes an air cylinder, an air supply line is connected to said air cylinders through a control valve, said vertical guideway has an open lower section, a pivotally mounted gate for closing said open guideway section, and means operative upon closing said gate to actuate said control valve.

15. In an apparatus as recited in claim 3, and said means for transferring clips from said clip forming die comprising a spring loaded pusher mounted for movement in a path along the sides of said clip forming die and means on said punch for camming said pusher to a retracted position,

16. In an apparatus as recited in claim 3, and said clip forming die having a stripper plate operative tohold the clip on the forming die as the punch retracts after a clip is formed on said forming die.

17. Apparatus as recited in claim 4, and the means for driving said feed wheel comprising a reverse acting rotary air cylinder and means for controlling the air supplied to said air cylinder.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, and said means for reciprocating said punch comprising an air cylinder for driving said punch and a pressure regulator in the air supply line for varying the pressure applied in clinching the fastener about the gathered container material so as to control the tightness of the fastener.

19. In an apparatus for applying generally U-shaped fastener clips to an object which comprises a punch, a clinching anvil, means forming a guideway for receiving successive clips and for guiding the punch so as to engage the clips and clinch the same against the anvil, a pair of stripper plates slidably mounted for movement in a vertical path on opposite sides of the anvil with their top edges normally spaced above the face of the anvil so as to support an object to which a clip is to be applied in spaced relation above the anvil and provide clearance for passage of the leg forming ends of the clip beneath the object at the start of the clinching operation, resilient means beneath said stripper plates for normally holding said stripper plates in elevated position, a vertically disposed member connected to said plates and mounted for vertical reciprocation, and means associated with said punch to depress said member at the end of the downward movement of said punch so as to lower the object onto the anvil for the final clinching operation.

20. In an apparatas for applying generally U-shaped fastener clips to an object which comprises a punch, a clinching anvil, means forming a guideway for receiving successive clips and for guiding the punch so as to engage the clips and clinch the same against the anvil, a pair of stripper plates slidably mounted for movement in a vertical path on opposite sides of the anvil with their top edges normally spaced above the face of the anvil so as to support an object to which a clip is to be applied in spaced relation above the anvil and provide clearance for passage of the legs of the clip beneath the object at the start of the clinching operation, and means including a vertically disposed rod connected to said stripper plates for holding said stripper plates in elevated position and said last named means including means to free said plates thereby permitting the same to be depressed during the final downward movement of the punch to complete the clinching operation.

21. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 20, and said vertically disposed rod being pivotally connected at its lowermost end to said stripper plates, means for detachably holding said rod in elevated position, and cam means operative upon reciprocation of said punch to swing said rod to a position to free said stripper plates for downward movement.

22. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 20, and said vertically disposed rod being pivotally connected to said plates and extending along said punch, an abutment forming member on said rod above its connection with said stripper plates, a shelf formation on which said abutment forming member is adapted to rest when said rod is in an elevated position, a cam member associated with said punch and operative upon downward movement of said punch to engage said rod and swing the same to a position where it is free to drop and allow the stripper plates to be depressed.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, and said means for feeding the fastener forming wire comprising a pair of co-operating feed wheels, means for driving one of the feed wheels intermittently in timed relation to the operation of said punch reciprocating means so as to advance successive lengths of fastener forming wire drawn from a supply reel into the path of the fastener forming punch, and means for relieving tension in the wire and producing a slack portion prior to each feeding stroke.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 23, and said means for driving said feed wheel comprising a reverse acting rotary air cylinder, and said means for relieving tension in the wire comprising a cam controlled arm engageable with the wire as it enters the machine and timed to operate so as to pull a portion of the wire from the reel independently of the operation of the wire feed wheel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,222,220 11/1940 Binch 29243.56 X 2,614,253 10/1952 Crim 29243.56 X 2,880,419 4/1959 Tipper 29243.57

OTHELL M. SIMPSON, Primary Examiner G. F. GRAFEL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 29208 

